Woodingdean referee Clive Penton has been promoted to the Nationwide League list, but his dreams of making the Premiership could already have been dashed.

From this season Premiership and top Nationwide League officials have been made professional by the FA.

Penton, who works for British Telecom, would have to think long and hard before deciding whether to give up his stable job.

The 41-year-old explained: "It would be at least another three seasons before I would be able to referee in the Premiership and that would leave me with only four seasons at the most in the top flight."

Professional referees are well rewarded. The FA pay officials a retainer of £25,000 a season, plus £500 a match.

With only four seasons left to Penton because of his age, it would be asking a lot to give up a secure job and pension scheme.

This is one of the downsides created by the new refereeing structure in England and is a mirror image of the system used in Italy.

Penton took charge of his biggest-ever match two weeks ago when QPR defeated multi-million pound Chelsea at Loftus Road.

Penton, a former player with County League Shoreham, would dearly love a slice of the top action.

He said: "To make the Premiership would be a dream. I enjoyed the game at Loftus Road and must admit matches at that level are much easier to handle than games lower down the echelons.

"The higher you go the better discipline from the players."

Penton, who has spent the last few seasons refereeing in the Conference, now qualifies for all Nationwide League and some Worthington Cup and LDV Vans Trophy matches.

He joins Lewes official Steve Tomlin as the only league referees from Sussex.

Worthing's Gary Willard, who spent five seasons as one of the top Premiership officials, believes professional referees will improve standards.

He said: "Most referees in the Premiership have managed to negotiate with their employers and reduce their hours at work. Although professional referees are technically full-time, it is really only part-time.

"Referees will be committed to maybe a couple of games every week and will have to attend seminars. They will have to make themselves available a couple of days every other week in addition to matchdays for that.

"It will improve standards because there will be more consultation. They will receive advise, watch videos and get feedback.

"Refereeing has become a high profile job. If you asked fans ten years ago to name ten referees they would struggle, whereas nowadays they would probably name the whole lot.

"With technology advancing the way it has and television coverage intensified, referees are under the spotlight far more. Everything has become more complex. Making refs professional is therefore necessary."

Only Harrow schoolmaster David Elleray has opted not to become professional, but he has still be allowed to remain a top-flight official.

Willard was taken off the Premiership list two years ago after failing a strict fitness test. His only active refereeing now is in the West Sussex League.

He has officiated some matches for his brother-in-law Nick Pottinger, captain of West Sussex League West Chiltington, but Willard admitted: "They have just been promoted to Division Four so now they have moved up an echelon I will probably be surplus to requirements!"

However Willard still holds a top role with the FA. Last season he was on the FA Advisory Committee's video replay panel and this year will be assessing and consulting Premiership and Nationwide League officials.

He said: "On Sunday I will be attending the Chelsea v Newcastle game and making trips to Ipswich and Wycombe.

"It will be nice to get out there again. I've missed that."

Willard was a well known Premiership referee and although Penton has not reached those heights yet, he has already had people asking for his autograph.

He said: "I was at a referees' conference in Brighton the other week and this chap came up to me and said: 'You're Clive Penton aren't you?' He was one of those trainspotter types who collects referees' autographs.

"He knew everything about me, even had my photograph, and asked me to sign it. I couldn't believe that someone might know me!"